In Loving Memory
by J. Tom
Summary: As Mickey visits one of his old voice actor's/friends's grave alone, he gets an unexpected encounter with a fellow toon, who's NOT a Disney one. Dedicated to one of Mickey Mouse's voice actors: Wayne Allwine, who died 10 years ago, today.


**In Loving Memory**

_**In case none of you knew, today is the tenth anniversary of the death of Wayne Allwine: the voice of Mickey Mouse from 1983-2009 until his passing and was succeeded by Bret Iwan (and Chris Diamantopoulos for the 2013 series). He as also married to Minnie Mouse' present day voice actor, Russi Taylor in 1991. He was a good voice actor. He and Russi were truly Disney legends. Enjoy!**_

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King Mickey sadly walked towards the graveyard with a small batch of flowers. He approached one gravestone and stood in front of it. He opted to do this _alone_. Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy were taking care of things back at the castle, and Sora, Kairi, Riku, and Lea were busing with their training for the Keyblade War.

He sighed heavily as he looked at the grave. 10 years. That's how long Wayne had been dead for. The man who voiced him in projects in the real world for 32 years after Jimmy MacDonald retired. Mickey had really liked the guy. Wayne had helped continue to make people continue to love Mickey even more as the years went by. Various projects Mickey had given him tips on: movies, TV shows, and video games.

But on that fateful day in 2009, when all was normal at Disney Castle, Master Yen Sid came before Mickey and Minnie and told them the grave news he had received from Russi Taylor, Wayne's wife, and Minnie's voice actor in the real-world. That day, everyone was saddened by the death of a good friend to the Disney family. But Mickey... he was devastated. He had felt like his heart had been shattered into trillions of pieces enough to fill up Scrooge's money bin. He couldn't have imagined the pain Russi and their four kids must've gone through. Mickey and his close friends and some of their families showed up to the funeral for Wayne, much to the happiness of Russi and the family. He did the same things for other people in the real world important to them.

Walt... Lillian... Jimmy... and the one who did his words words on TV, Carl Stalling.

Donald did the same for his first voice, Clarence Nash, Goofy with his voices, especially Pinto Colvig, Hal Smith, & Tony Pope, Minnie with Walt also, as well as her various voices.

Mickey sighed as he laid the flowers on the grave.

"Hey Wayne, how ya don'?" Mickey asked softly, trying to be brave. "I'm doing just fine. Heh... Life's been going ok... made new friends with Sora, Riku, Kairi, Lea, Hayner, Pence, and Olette a few years ago. And, well, ruling a kingdom while preparing for the Keyblade War against Master Xehanort is rough, but... well... we're trying to get through it."

Mickey felt some tears come to his eyes. "I hope you're doing just fine Wayne. I hear heaven's a great place... And I'd just thought I'd tell you that your family's doing ok too. Russi and your four kids are coming later today."

Tears fell down Mickey's face as he sniffed. "Minnie and the others would've come, but I asked them to stay behind to focus on the other important stuff, you know how it is. Though I'm sure they'll come by later." Mickey chuckled softly as he wiped the tears away. "I hope you're doing ok up there. Like Walt, Lillian, Jimmy, and the others... I-I really still miss you. Be sure to tell our good friends and your predecessors of doing my voice for other projects that I said 'hi.' And if it's possible, do the same for Ansem the Wise, Master Eraqus, and the other predecessor voiced of my pals." He softly chuckled some more. "I know it's not their anniversaries yet, or they've already passed... but I know it would mean the world to them."

Mickey sighed some more as he patted Wayne's grave. "Goodbye Wayne... see ya real soon..." Mickey spluttered as he said those last four words. And just like that, he fell to his knees, and began to cry softly.

For the next five minutes, Mickey was crying with his face in his gloved hands. But as he did, he felt someone touch his shoulder. Mickey sniffed as he looked up to see who was next to him, trying to comfort him. The king's eyes widened as he saw who it was.

It wasn't Minnie, or Donald, or Goofy, or Daisy, or even Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Lea. It was someone he had never thought he would see again for quite some time.

A gray and white-furred rabbit with long ears and legs, a pink nose, and gloves similar to Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Max's. The toon rabbit looked at Mickey with a concerned, yet soft, comforting expression.

Mickey stared in shock. His tears still fell, but he was able to splutter, "B-B-B-Bugs?"

"Hey Mick." the rabbit sad with a small, comforting smile.

Mickey was very surprised as Bugs helped him to his feet.

"W-Wh-What are you doin' here?" he asked. "Someone would've told me back at the castle that a Looney Toon was coming over."

Bugs raised an eyebrow. "But you're not at the castle."

Mickey was silent before chuckling sheepishly. "Oh... right."

Bugs smiled. "Anyway, I was just bored. Lola's with her parents, Daffy's watching his nephew, and the other Looney Toons were busy with their own thing. Soooooooo, I decided, 'What the hey', maybe ol' Cheesehead wouldn't mind if I stopped by for a little while."

Mickey was surprised by Bug's answer.

"Yeah, I knew you lot and those human friends of yours are busy preparing for the war with old crazy man Xehanort, but I just thought a small visit wouldn't be _so_ bad." continued Bugs. "I took that magical train to the castle, but as I passed by a shop, I saw you use a portal to the real world and followed you in there."

"Why did you follow me?" asked Mickey.

"You seemed sad." explained Bugs. "I must've gotten separated form the same place as you when I arrived, but only a few moments ago did I find you here in this cemetery."

Mickey nodded, still a little sniffy. "I see..."

Bugs looked at Mickey with a concerned expression. "So, who were you mourning over?" he asked, innocently.

Mickey sighed heavily as he looked over to Wayne's gravestone. Bugs looked in Mickey's direction. He frowned as he saw the name.

"Oh... Wayne Allwine. I remember him." Bugs sighed.

Back during the olden days, Mickey, Minnie, and their friends were all younger and actors in order to escape the royal life in the real world. They met the Looney Toons, and long story short, things weren't all peaches and cream between them, especially since they were working for different companies. But as the years flew by, the toons began to warm up to one another, and were all soon good friends. But it took Donald and Daffy 70 years before they would be on good terms. Even the people who did their voices in the real world were good friends with them, and each other.

But when Wayne Allwine passed away, the Looney Toons were saddened too, especially Bugs and Lola, since they knew he was a good man. The toons offered their condolences bu attending the funeral and the dinner at Disney Castle. They all had kept in contact through phone calls, letters, e-mails, etc. _(even before Wayne's death)_

As Bugs looked at the date, his eyes widened a little. He looked back to the mouse king, who was looking at the grave with a saddened expression.

"Has it really been ten years?" he asked.

Mickey nodded sadly. "Yeah..." he muttered.

Bugs sighed sadly. "I'm sorry Mick. You've got my condolences."

Mickey smiled a little. "Thanks Bugs."

The two stayed silent for a minute before Bugs spoke up again.

"How come you're here alone mouse?" he asked.

Mickey looked at Bugs in surprise before sighed heavily. "I just felt like I needed to do this alone. Minnie and the others are taking acre of other stuff at the castle, and our human friends from other worlds named Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Lea are training with their Keyblades there too."

Bugs nodded. "I see." Then, another thought crossed the rabbit's mind. "You wanted to be alone?"

Mickey sighed. "Yeah... it just felt a little to personal. I do it by myself every year, long with when I visit the others."

Bugs frowned. "Mick, don't get me wrong, but I think doing stuff like this is better when you have good friends by your side. I get you want to be alone for this sorta thing, but having friends by your side can help make this thing not as hard as one would think."

Mickey stared at Bugs in surprise.

"Let me tell you something Mick, remember when I called you and Minnie back when Mel died?" Bugs asked.

"Yeah, I remember." replied Mickey.

Like what happened with Mickey and Wayne, Bugs and the Looney Toons cast were heartbroken when they learned that their voice actor, Mel Blanc – the man of a thousand voices – had died. But none were more brokenhearted than Bugs. Some of the Disney toons like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy came to the funeral to offer their condolences to the toons and Mel's family.

"After the funeral, every year on that fateful day, I would go to his grave, pay my respects, and leave flowers." continued Bugs. "But I would never be alone. I'd always have friends with me... unless they were really busy. Friends like Daffy, Porky, Lola, Sly, and Foghorn, or even the Tint Toons like Buster, Babs, Plucky, Shirley, and Fifi would accompany me if they wanted to. And I always felt better that I had them by my side. Sure, paying respects to someone already departed from you can be hard, but if you have friends and loved ones by your side, it helps you feel better inside, knowing that you're not alone during rough moments in life."

Mickey stared at Bugs. Throughout the time he knew Bugs, despite the fact that the bunny was sarcastic, clever, and funny, he knew that Bugs had a good, friendly heart. But he never saw this advice-giving side from Bugs before.

"What I'm saying is Mickey, you may think that you should be doing this alone since you think it's best, but it isn't all the time." said Bugs. "If you have your friends by your side during important things like this, although the situation itself may not get better, you will on the inside." The rabbit gave a comforting smile to the mouse king as he laid a hand on Mickey's shoulder. "Especially when they're right by your side."

Mickey couldn't help but smile at Bugs. And before the bunny knew it, Mickey leaped up, and wrapped his arms around Bugs in a hug.

"Thanks Bugs. You're right. My friends should be by my side during something like this." said Mickey.

Bugs got over his surprise by smiling and hugging Mickey back.

The two separated from the hug. Mickey turned back to Wayne's grave before looking back at Bugs.

"Come on Bugs, we've got some friends to find." said Mickey.

"No need." came a voice.

Mickey and Bugs jumped in shock as they turned to see some people strode up to them, much to their surprise.

Walking up to them were Sora, Riku, Kairi, Lea, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Max, Scrooge, Ludwig, Huey, Dewey, Louie, and Webby. All had flowers or one flower in their hands. It had been Sora who spoke.

"Minnie told us about where you were, and we thought it would be nice to join you in paying our respects to someone important to you." said Sora.

"So we went to the shops to get some flowers for Mr. Allwine's grave." added Kairi.

"We may have not known him as much as the rest of you guys did, but we knew it was the right thing to do for a friend like you Mickey." said Riku with a smile.

"Yeah, even if we hadn't known the guy as long as you have, we knew how much it meant to you. Got it memorized?" said Lea while saying his signature catchphrase.

Mickey smiled. "Aw... thanks fellas. This does mean a lot to me." he thanked.

"Anytime Mick, you're our friend." said Goofy with a smile.

"We're always there for you." added Donald.

Minnie smiled at her friends. "Now come on, let's pay our respects." she said.

Nodding, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Lea, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Max, Scrooge, Ludwig, Huey, Dewey, Louie, and Webby followed Minnie in laying their flowers down on Wayne's grave.

Mickey and Bugs watched, the latter looking over to the former, placing a hand on his back.

"How do ya feel now?" he asked.

Mickey smiled. "I'm still feel sad, but I feel better knowing that my friends... no... my _family_ are right by my side during this moment." he replied.

Bugs smiled.

"You were right Bugs. Thanks for helping me too." Mickey added with a smile.

Bugs smiled a little more. "The Looney Toons may be looney, the Animaniacs may be zany to the max, and even the Tiny Toons are as looney as us. But underneath all that, we have good hearts. And we all know when to express it to those who need it the most." he replied.

Mickey smiled as the other joined his and Bugs' side. They all stood in a moment of silence for Wayne.

About three minutes later, Mickey spoke up again. "Thanks for being here for me fellas. And I'm sorry I didn't want you guys there with me during a time like this." he said gratefully and apologetically.

"No worries Mickey." smiled Riku.

"Even when we're worlds apart, we'll always be there for each other inside our hearts." Sora said in agreement, smiling too.

"You gusy are the best!" said Mickey happily as they shared a group hug.

Bugs watched with a smile. But then he was caught off guard when Daisy said, "You too Bugs. Get in here!" said Daisy.

Bugs smiled as he joined the anthropomorphic toon mice, ducks, & dogs, and four human Keyblade wielders in the group hug.

After breaking the hug, Mickey spoke up. "Thanks a lot fellas. Come on, let's head back to the castle for dinner." he turned to Bugs. "Wanna join Bugs?" he asked.

Bugs smirked. "I'd be happy to Mickey."

With that, Mickey summoned Kingdom Key D, and used it to summon the special portal from the human world back to Disney Castle. He watched his family enter through.

The order was: Huey, Dewey, Louie, Scrooge, Webby, Ludwig, Max, Goofy, and Daisy. Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Lea followed while chatting with Bugs, introducing themselves to the famous rabbit, who immediately took a liking to the four.

Mickey and Minnie watched them disappear through the portal. Mickey then looked back to Wayne's grave, and smiled sadly.

"Rest well Wayne. I'll see you real soon. You were a good friend." said Mickey.

Minnie smiled at her husband's words to their departed friend as she embraced him in a quick hug, which he immediately returned. The two then followed their friends through the portal, which closed up behind them.

Although visiting someone who was important to you and had died was never easy, and he knew it, he also knew that Bugs was right. Having family and friends by your side always made you feel better during situations like that. And Mickey was grateful for them being there for him. Especially Bugs Bunny.

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(CAST)

Starring

Haley Joel Osment as Sora

David Gallagher as Riku

Hayden Panettiere as Kairi

Bret Iwan as Mickey Mouse

Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck

and

Bill Farmer as Goofy

Guest Starring

Quinton Flynn as Lea

Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck

Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse

Billy West as Bugs Bunny

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_**Hope you all liked it! Rest in peace Wayne Allwine. You were a real Disney legend.**_

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In Loving Memory of

Wayne Allwine

The man who played Mickey Mouse the longest

February 7, 1947 – May 18, 2009

10 years since is passing today.

"_See ya real soon pals!"_


End file.
